When Joan Monfort took photos of Lionel Messi with a baby for a charity calendar almost 17 years ago, he knew the long-haired young man would make it big in soccer. He could not have imagined the little boy would as well. The baby in the photos — which have gone viral — was none other than Lamine Yamal, the Spanish wunderkind, who at 16 is showing such promise that he’s already being compared to the greats. The youngest to have played for Spain, he became the youngest player ever in the ongoing European Championship in Germany. Messi’s 109th goal leads defending champion Argentina over Canada 2-0 and into Copa America final One of the long-forgotten photos from 2007 resurfaced after Yamal’s father posted it on Instagram last week with the text “the beginning of two legends.” Monfort, 56, who works as a freelance photographer for The Associated Press and others, said the photo shoot took place in the visitors’ locker room at Barcelona’s Camp Nou in the autumn of 2007, when Yamal was just a few months old. Barcelona players posed with children and their families for a calendar as part of an annual charity drive by local newspaper Diario Sport and UNICEF. Monfort was in charge of the photo shoots — and it just so happened that Messi was paired with Yamal’s family. His mother, who is from Equatorial Guinea, is next to Messi and the baby in one of the photos. “We made the calendar with the help of UNICEF. So UNICEF did a raffle in the neighborhood of Roca Fonda in Mataró where Lamine’s family lived. They signed up for the raffle to have their picture taken at the Camp Nou with a Barca player. And they won the raffle,” Monfort said. It wasn’t an easy assignment, he recalled, mainly because Messi wasn’t sure how to interact with baby Lamine, who was in a plastic tub for the shoot. “Messi is a pretty introverted guy, he’s shy,” Monfort said. “He was coming out of the locker room and suddenly he finds himself in another locker room with a plastic tub full of water and a baby in it. It was complicated. He didn’t even know how to hold him at first.” Messi was 20 at the time and already considered a big talent, but it would take a couple of years before he made his mark as the most outstanding player of his generation for Barcelona and Argentina. Sr. Division Football : Mohakhali Ekadosh beat Bangladesh Boys by 1-0 goal Like Messi, Yamal has gone through Barcelona’s renowned La Masia youth academy. Despite his age, he’s been one of Spain’s best players at Euro 2024, where his team will play France in the semifinals on Tuesday. Yamal will turn 17 on Saturday, the day before the final in Berlin. Monfort, 56, had no idea it was Yamal in those photos from 2007 until a friend messaged him as they started trending online. He’s had a long career as a sports photographer since 1991, following Barcelona around the world, but said he’s never experienced this level of excitement around any of his photos. “It’s very exciting to be associated with something that has caused such a sensation,” he said. “To tell you the truth it’s a very nice feeling.”

Barcelona midfielder Pedri González has agreed to a new contract with the team through 2026, the club said Thursday. Barcelona said Pedri’s new contract will include a release cause of 1 billion euros ($1.1 billion). His salary was not made public. The deal will become official when the player signs on Friday. Read:CONMEBOL World Cup 2022 Qualifiers: Lionel Messi Sets New South American Record The 18-year-old Pedri is coming off a breakout season, his first with Barcelona after joining from Las Palmas. The playmaker led Barcelona with 53 appearances, helping it win the Copa del Rey. Pedri also became a key player for Spain, helping the national team reach the semifinals of the European Championship and winning a silver medal at the Tokyo Olympics. The new contract signals Barcelona’s desire to have Pedri help lead the team that is undergoing a painful transition since the departure of Lionel Messi and is facing enormous financial difficulties.

They are opponents who have long struck fear into the heart of Spanish soccer. The Italians: tough, defensively strong, cynical. Winners by whatever means possible — or so it was widely perceived in Spain anyway. And Luis Enrique knows all about it. Read:Italy advances to semifinals at Euro 2020 The current Spain coach was a member of the national team that was beaten by Italy 1-0 in the 1994 World Cup quarterfinals. As famous as the 88th-minute winning goal by Roberto Baggio was the elbow to Luis Enrique’s face administered by Italy’s hard man in defense, Mauro Tassotti. The violent act went unpunished during the game — Tassotti would later get an eight-match ban — but wasn’t forgotten in Spain. The photo of an anguished Luis Enrique, blood pouring from his broken nose onto a splattered white towel, has gone down in history, and is often brought out whenever the two rivals meet. Like they will at Wembley Stadium on Tuesday in the European Championship semifinals. “We’ve spoken a few times since but that’s in the past, part of footballing history,” Luis Enrique said Monday about the incident with Tassotti. “Both of us, of course, would’ve preferred that had gone differently but there’s nothing more to say.” Actually, Luis Enrique doesn’t appear to hold any grudges toward the Azzurri, his feelings possibly changing after spending a year coaching Italian club Roma in the 2011-12 season. “It’s a country I’m very fond of,” he said. “Whenever I’ve a bit of free time, I always like to visit Italy. It’s lovely to come up against the Azzurri — it’s always very nice.” Many in Spain would disagree. For 88 years, Spain didn’t beat Italy in a competitive match and an inferiority complex naturally grew. A clash of styles — typically attacking Spain against defensive Italy — always went one way. Also read: Euro2020 semi-finalists have been determined Until 2008, that is. That was when a weight was lifted from a nation as Spain defeated Italy in a penalty shootout in Vienna in the European Championship quarterfinals on its way to its first continental title in 44 years. Four years later, Spain would beat Italy again at Euro 2012, this time 4-0 in Kyiv for the most lop-sided score in a final in the tournament’s history. Yet Spain’s title defense was ended in the last 16 five years ago by a limited but tactically superior Italy coached by Antonio Conte, which won 2-0 in Paris. The teams, then, will be meeting in a fourth straight tournament. This match promises to be different, though, purely because of the way Italy’s approach has altered since Roberto Mancini took over as coach in 2018. Sure, the trademark Italian robustness in defense is still there, but the team has an attacking swagger these days and also has become more of a passing team. They’re not in Spain’s league in terms of possession, but then again who is? “We’re leaders in the possession stats, but they too are a side who enjoy playing with the ball. So that’s going to be the first battle to win,” Luis Enrique said. “But they’re also very good without the ball. We need the ball. We want to have it.” Spain has the squad with youngest average age in the tournament — at 24.1 years — and there’s a sense that Luis Enrique feels his players have exceeded expectations by reaching the semifinals. It’s why he was so proud of getting past Switzerland in the quarterfinals, albeit with the need of a penalty shootout. Also read: Italy advances to semifinals at Euro 2020 “It’s impossible to understate this,” he said. “We’re not an experienced national team.” Indeed, when it comes to being streetwise at international level, few can top the Italians. A clip of Italy striker Ciro Immobile falling dramatically in the area and apparently feigning injury during the win over Belgium in the quarterfinals, only for him to instantly spring to his feet moments later after Nicola Barella scored the opening goal, has been spread widely over social media. Italy defender Leonardo Bonucci laughed it off on Monday, saying “the joy and excitement of a goal in matches such as these means you don’t experience any more pain.” But to some it was another classic example of gamesmanship. It’s why players like Champions League winners Cesar Azpilicueta, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba will be so important for Spain to guide the team’s younger players at Wembley. “We’re not an experienced team,” Luis Enrique said, “but it doesn’t mean we don’t have experience of the game. Many of our players have played at a very high level and are used to these games. “I just hope we’re up to the challenge.”

The semi-finalists of the UEFA Euro 2020 have been determined. The final matches of the quarter-finals were held on Saturday. In the quarterfinals, Italy beat Belgium in Munich (2:1), the Spanish national team defeated the Swiss team in St. Petersburg (1:1, 3:1 - on penalties), Denmark in Baku beat Czech Republic (2:1), and England defeated Ukraine in Rome (4:0). Also read: Denmark beats Czechs 2-1 to reach Euro 2020 semifinals The semi-finals will have the matches between Italy - Spain on July 6 and England vs. Denmark on July 7. Both meetings will take place in London at Wembley Stadium. The final will take place in the same arena on July 11. The current European champion is the Portuguese national team, which in 2016 beat the hosts of the tournament, France (1:0). Also read: Italy advances to semifinals at Euro 2020

Prior to the start of Copa America 2021, Brazil were a clear favourites to retain the title. As the tournament progressed, Argentina have shown more consistency and a stronger determination to win their first Copa America championship in 28 years.On the other side, Italy were considered one of the outsiders to lift the UEFA EURO 2020, with many football experts predicting Belgium and France as the favourites.However, Italy have shown more maturity and have played some of the most exciting football in the competition. Argentina and Italy are both keen to end their continental trophy droughts, as discussed in this article. Why Argentina are favourites to win the Copa America 2021? Argentina have always been one of the favorites in the South American Championship, but they haven't won the Copa America since 1993 despite reaching the final four times during this time.This is Lionel Messi's final Copa America tournament, and they should win it in his honor. Argentina's Copa America campaign in 2021 started with a 1-1 draw against Chili, but they went on to win the remainder of their group stage matches and the quarter-final encounter against Ecuador. Read UEFA EURO 2020: Quarter Finals Preview   Argentina will play against Colombia in their semifinal match at EstádioNacionalManéGarrincha in Brasilia on Wednesday. Argentina should easily qualify for the final based on their current form, and we can anticipate them to face Brazil in the championship match. So the question remains, how will this rejuvenated Argentina team perform against the Brazilian side in this year's final? Consistency is one of the most important factors. Argentina have improved and displayed more consistency in the competition. Initially, they were shaky, but Argentina have since played with a lot of confidence. Importantly, this set of players believes they can win the tournament.  Read Copa America 2021: Quarter Finals Preview   On the other hand, Brazil have struggled in their past two matches and would need to re-establish their rhythm before the crucial final. If they can't, Argentina will seize the opportunity to win a record 15th South American Championship. Three important players for Argentina Romero (Defender), Lionel Messi (Forward), Lautaro Martinez (Forward) Probable Playing XI Martinez (GK), Tagilafico, Romero, Molina, Pezzella, Rodríguez, Di María, Paredes, Lionel Messi, Gómez, Lautaro Martinez Read Denmark beats Czechs 2-1 to reach Euro 2020 semifinals Copa America 2021 Semifinal & Final Fixtures Date Match Venue & Time (BST) Semifinal July 6 (Tuesday) Brazil vs Peru Rio de Janeiro (5 AM) July 7 (Wednesday) Argentinavs Colombia Brasília (7 AM) Third place play off July 10 (Saturday) Loser Match 25 vs Loser Match 26 Brasília (6 AM) Final July 11 (Sunday) Winner Match 25 vs Winner Match 26 Rio de Janeiro (6 AM) Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2021_Copa_Am%C3%A9rica Read Brazil beats Chile at Copa America despite 2nd-half red card   Why Italy are favourites to win the UEFA EURO 2020? Italy haven't won a major trophy since the 2006 FIFA World Cup, and they haven't won the European Championship since 1968. So, Italy will be hoping to win their second UEFA EURO Championship this year. Many experts anticipated that Italy would have a slim chance of winning the tournament, but they have surpassed expectations by playing the most entertaining brand of football in the game. They finished top in the group stage points table but struggled a bit in the Round of 16 match against Austria. However, Italy had demonstrated their true capabilities in the quarter-final match against hot favourites Belgium, winning 2-1 and securing a spot in the semifinal. Read Italy advances to semifinals at Euro 2020   Italy should win against Spain in the semifinal, but they will have to fight hard against England, who are in great form at the moment. While, after defeating Belgium, Italy are full of confidence and will make it difficult for England to win their first European Championship trophy. Argentina and Italy are both confident that they will end their continental trophy droughts with their current form. Three important players for Italy Donnarumma (GK), Chiellini (Defender), Insigne (Forward) Probable Playing XI Donnarumma (GK), Chiellini, Bonucci, Di Lorenzo, Spinazzola, Barella, Jorginho, Chiesa, Verratti, Insigne, Immobile Read Spain beats Switzerland in penalty shootout UEFA EURO 2020 Semifinal & Final Fixtures Date Match Venue & Time (BST) Semifinal July 7 (Wednesday) Italyvs Spain Wembley Stadium, London (1 AM) July 8 (Thursday) Englandvs Denmark Wembley Stadium, London (1 AM) Final July 12 (Monday) Winner Match 49 vs Winner Match 50 Wembley Stadium, London (1 AM) Sources: https://www.uefa.com/ Read BPL, BCL Football matches postponed Verdict After analyzing the qualities of the teams and current form, it is clear that Argentina and Italy are both keen to end their continental trophy droughts. Argentina are the overwhelming favourites to win Copa America 2021. But their most likely final opponent, Brazil will make it difficult for them.On the other hand, England are in excellent condition and will give it their best to win their first European championship. However, Italy are now a strong favourites to win their second UEFA EURO Championship, especially after eliminating Belgium in the quarter-final. Overall, we expect the best teams will win their respective tournaments. Read BPL Football: Dhaka Abahani earn 2-0 victory over Ctg Abahani  

Denmark’s journey at the European Championship is headed to London. The Danes, who have developed into a surprise contender after their tournament began with midfielder Christian Eriksen suffering cardiac arrest on the field, advanced to the Euro 2020 semifinals on Saturday by beating the Czech Republic 2-1. They didn’t need long to take control against the Czechs on a hot and humid night in Azerbaijan. Also read: Brazil beats Chile at Copa America despite 2nd-half red card Jens Stryger sent an outswinging corner in the fifth minute to Thomas Delaney, standing in space by the penalty spot. Delaney’s bouncing header went in past the outstretched hand of goalkeeper Tomáš Vaclík. Denmark doubled the lead just before halftime. Joakim Maehle hit a cross from the left using the outside of his right foot. The ball eluded Martin Braithwaite’s attempt at a header but Kasper Dolberg got past his marker and beat Vaclík in the 42nd. Czech Republic forward Patrik Schick scored his fifth goal at the beginning of the second half, putting him even with Cristiano Ronaldo as the tournament’s leading scorers. Schick was given plenty of space by defender Jannik Vestergaard to hit a first-touch shot off Vladimir Coufal’s curled pass. Also read: Copa America 2021: Teams Qualified For Quarter Finals, Fixtures The Czechs pushed hard to level the score in a physical game which finished with Tomas Soucek and Jan Boril both with their heads wrapped in bandages after collisions with Danish players. Denmark lost its first two games at Euro 2020 and was on the verge of elimination before beating Russia, Wales and the Czechs in succession. This is farthest Denmark has gotten at a major tournament since winning the European title in 1992.

The first knockout round of the ongoing EURO 2020 tournament came to an end on Wednesday, June 30th. The Round of 16 featured some thrilling encounters and finally, eight teams have qualified for the quarterfinals of this year European Championship. Hot favorite Belgium knocked out reigning champion Portugal, while Switzerland stunned 2018 World Cup winner France in a penalty shootout. Therefore, we can expect more exciting matches in the quarter-finals stage. The second knockout round of the competition will start on July 2nd (Friday). The teams who qualified for the UEFA EURO 2020 quarterfinals and fixtures has been discussed in this article. UEFA EURO 2020 Quarter-Finalists Eight teams have qualified for the quarterfinals in the 16th edition of the European Football Championship. Let's see who have advanced to the second knock-out round of the tournament. Wales vs. Denmark Result: Denmark win 4-0 There was a lot of expectation from Gareth Bale’s Wales side prior to their Round of 16 clash against Denmark. But Wales were comprehensively outplayed by Denmark in the Amsterdam stadium in the Netherlands, and eventually lost 4-0. The game was fairly one-sided, as Denmark took complete control after taking an early lead. Denmark's top player was Kasper Dolberg, who scored two goals in the 27th and 48th minutes. Read:England beats Germany 2-0 to reach Euro 2020 quarterfinals Italy vs Austria Result: Italy win 2-1(Extra Time) The four-time World Cup champion Italy had a fantastic time in the group stage but labored in their first knockout round encounter against Austria. Italy had to play extra time to qualify for the quarter-finals. Federico Chiesa (95) and Matteo Pessina (105) both scored in the 2-1 victory for Italy over Austria. Read:Copa America 2021: Teams Qualified For Quarter Finals, Fixtures Netherlands vs Czech Republic Result: Czech Republic win 2-0 The Czech Republic upset the Netherlands in the Round of 16 with a 2-0 victory. The Netherlands were expecting a comprehensive victory, but the Czech Republic had other ideas, and they were keen to make a statement in the encounter. However, the Czech Republic had the advantage after Matthijs de Light's red card in the 55th minute. Read Toppers of the DPL T20 2021 Belgium vs Portugal Result: Belgium win 1-0 Belgium midfielder Throgan Hazard's stunning goal rocked the reigning European Champion Portugal and superstar Cristiano Ronaldo. Hazard's lone goal in the 42nd minute was enough to knock Portugal out of the competition. Croatia vs Spain Result: Spain win 5-3 (Extra Time) It was one of the most thrilling Round of 16 games. Croatia surprisingly leveled the score in injury time, but ultimately lost the match 5-3 after extra time. The 2010 World Cup champion Spain now seems to have a good chance to reach the final. Read:Swiss beat France on penalties at Euro 2020 France vs Switzerland Result: Switzerland win 5-4 (Penalty shootout) It was the most shocking result in the Round of 16 stage because France were the favorite to win this year's European tournament. First and foremost, scoring three goals against France was a significant accomplishment, and later Switzerland went on to win the match in a penalty shootout. England vs Germany Result: England win 2-0 This English national team is regarded as one of the best in their football history, therefore there is a lot of expectation from the British fans. The 'Three Lions' beat Germany 2-0 in the tournament's first knockout stage, thanks to goals from Raheem Sterling and Harry Kane. Read Messi Reaches Another Milestone as Argentina Win Tough Match at Copa America 2021 Sweden vs Ukraine Result: Ukraine win 2-1 (Extra Time) Ukraine emerged victorious in the final Round of 16 fixtures on Tuesday. They have advanced to the quarterfinals after defeating Sweden 2-1 in extra time. Ukraine will face one of the favorites England in the next round. Read Bangladesh’s Test, ODI, T20 Squads Analysis for BAN vs ZIM Series 2021 EURO 2020 Quarter-Final Fixtures Date Match Venue & Time (BST) July 2 (Friday) Switzerland vs Spain St Petersburg (10 PM) July 3 (Saturday) Belgium vs Italy Munich (1 AM) July 3 (Saturday) Czech Republicvs Denmark Baku (10 PM) July 4 (Sunday) Ukraine vs England Rome (1 AM) Sources: https://www.uefa.com/ Read:Belgium edges Portugal, reaches quarterfinals at Euro 2020 Bottom Line We saw several upsets in the UEFA EURO 2020 round of 16, which makes the tournament even more intriguing for everyone. Among the hot favorites, only Belgium and England still remain in the competition. However, we can anticipate the deserving national team to win the trophy in the end.There will not be easy games in the quarterfinals. The teams must give it their all to advance to the semi-finals. Read RIP Milka Singh: One of India's Finest Ever Athlete

The Latest on soccer’s European Championship: ___ Switzerland goalkeeper Yann Sommer saved a penalty kick from Kylian Mbappe in a penalty shootout to knock France out of the European Championship. Switzerland won the shootout 5-3 after a 3-3 draw through extra time. ___ France and Switzerland are headed to a penalty shootout in the round of 16 of the European Championship. The match ended 3-3 after 90 minutes and neither team was able to score in extra time. ___ France and Switzerland are headed to extra time in the round of 16 of the European Championship. Mario Gavranovic scored the equalizer for Switzerland in the 90th minute in Bucharest. READ: Belgium edges Portugal, reaches quarterfinals at Euro 2020 It’s the second match of the day to go to extra time. Spain and Croatia were also even at 3-3 after 90 minutes. Spain ended up winning 5-3 in Copenhagen. ___ England coach Gareth Southgate is deciding whether to include Mason Mount and Ben Chilwell in the squad to face Germany at the European Championship after a week in self-isolation. The players had to split from the rest of the England squad after being deemed close contacts following a conversation with Chelsea teammate Billy Gilmour after the match against Scotland. Gilmour later tested positive for the coronavirus. Mount and Chilwell were able to do fitness work away from the rest of the England squad on a training field. England hosts Germany at Wembley Stadium on Tuesday in the round of 16. Southgate says “it’s really complicated because there’s the physical periodization you want for a game like this.” Mount started two group games at Euro 2020 before missing last Tuesday’s win over the Czech Republic while isolating. ___ Alvaro Morata and Mikel Oyarzabal scored in extra time to give Spain a 5-3 win over Croatia and a place in the European Championship quarterfinals. Spain gifted Croatia a bizarre own-goal in the first half and then threw away a 3-1 lead but Morata made it 4-3 when he controlled a cross with one deft touch in the 100th minute and sent a shot past goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic. Oyarzabal doubled the lead three minutes later. READ: BPL Football: Abahani, Mohammedan play out 1-1 draw Mislav Orsic had pulled one back for Croatia in the 85th and Mario Pasalic equalized in injury time. Spain goalkeeper Unai Simon’s massive blunder gave Croatia a 1-0 lead in the 20th minute when he failed to control a long back pass. ___ Ukraine coach Andriy Shevchenko says he’s concerned about Sweden’s threat at set pieces in their match in the round of 16 at the European Championship. Ukraine’s two losses at Euro 2020 came with a header from the Netherlands after a cross and from Austria scoring on a corner kick. Shevchenko says “definitely we have to be really careful at set pieces. Sweden is a team that uses set pieces really well.” Sweden has not yet scored from a free kick or a corner and coach Janne Andersson has noted the absence. Andersson says Sweden has a bit of a height advantage “so we are hoping that we are able to take advantage of that” against Ukraine in Glasgow. ___ Croatia and Spain will play extra time in the round of 16 at the European Championship. Mario Pasalic scored for Croatia in injury team to make the score 3-3 in Copenhagen. __ The captains of Germany and England will wear rainbow armbands in the round of 16 at the European Championship. The England team says the move by Germany goalkeeper Manuel Neuer and England striker Harry Kane is “to mark the end of Pride month.” UEFA had looked into whether Neuer breached regulations by not wearing the official armband in the opening two games of Euro 2020. But Germany later said UEFA accepted its argument that the rainbow armband is a symbol of diversity and can therefore be categorized as a “good cause.” ___ Spain scored a bizarre first-half own-goal against Croatia in the round of 16 of the European Championship after a massive blunder by goalkeeper Unai Simon. Simon failed to control a back pass in the 20th minute and the ball trickled slowly into the net. Spain had dominated play until then but the goal gave Croatia a 1-0 lead. It was the ninth own-goal so far at Euro 2020. ___ Unbeaten and underestimated Sweden has quietly progressed into the round of 16 at the European Championship with a coach who says he no longer yells at players because it doesn’t make them better. The Swedes will next face Ukraine in the round of 16 on Tuesday in Glasgow. Sweden coach Janne Andersson says “to yell at people is rarely something that helps them so I don’t believe in that way of working.” He says he prefers to “explain to them where they are doing things wrong and how they can improve.” Andersson did have a confrontation with the Poland coaching staff during Sweden’s 3-2 win last week. Andersson says to yell at opponents is “a different thing.” ___ Belgium coach Roberto Martinez says Kevin De Bruyne’s injury is not serious and he will remain with the squad at the European Championship. De Bruyne was replaced early in the second half of Belgium’s 1-0 victory over Portugal on Sunday in the round of 16. De Bruyne hurt his left ankle after being tackled from behind by Portugal midfielder João Palhinha. Martinez says it’s too early to know if De Bruyne will be available for Friday’s quarterfinal match against Italy at Euro 2020. The Belgium coach says Eden Hazard also doesn’t have a serious injury. The playmaker was replaced late in the match because of a muscle problem. ___ A health official in Finland says he hopes soccer fans in the country won’t travel to neighboring St. Petersburg for Friday’s European Championship quarterfinal match in the Russian city. The Finns saw a spike in coronavirus cases that has been traced to soccer fans returning from Russia. Finland played two of its group matches in St. Petersburg but the team has been eliminated from the tournament. Helsinki University Hospital doctor Markku Makijarvi says “I hope that it is now clear to everyone that the rest will be watched from Finland.” More than 200 cases of the virus have been reported among people who have arrived from neighboring Russia in recent days and nearly 500 people have been quarantined. Health officials say these cases either were soccer fans or people who took part in the traditional mid-summer celebrations. At least 2,000 Finns are estimated to have traveled to St. Petersburg for the earlier games. ___ Denmark coach Kasper Hjulmand says he expects captain Simon Kjaer to be able to play in the team’s quarterfinal match against the Czech Republic at the European Championship. Kjaer had to exit Saturday’s game against Wales in the round of 16 after getting his right thigh wrapped in the second half. Hjulmand says Kjaer is still undergoing treatment but that the center back should recover in time for Saturday’s game in Baku, Azerbaijan. Hulmand says ”they’re working on Simon and we all think he’ll be ready.” Hjulmand says he has ”no reason to believe” that he won’t have all his players available. ___ World Cup champion France will play Switzerland for a spot in the quarterfinals at the European Championship. The French team lost in the Euro 2016 final before winning the World Cup three years ago. They finished first in their group at Euro 2020 but won only one match. The game against the Swiss will be played in Bucharest. Spain will take on Croatia in Copenhagen in the early match.

After three emotional European Championship matches in Copenhagen, Denmark will next play in a city that Christian Eriksen once called home. The Danes will take on Wales in the round of 16 at the Johan Cruyff Arena on Saturday, a stadium where Eriksen is fondly remembered by Ajax fans as a stylish midfield playmaker from 2010-13 before his transfer to Tottenham. Denmark lost its first Euro 2020 match to Finland 1-0 after Eriksen suffered cardiac arrest on the field and had to be resuscitated with a defibrillator. The Danes also lost to Belgium before beating Russia 4-1 to finish second in Group B and advance to knockout rounds. “I’m thinking a lot about Christian and how much I have hoped that he could experience this,” Denmark coach Kasper Hjulmand said. “He has been looking forward to this summer so much, it’s a big, big dream for Christian, and just to know that he’s not here hurts.” Wales coach Rob Page paid tribute to the way the Denmark team had coped with the situation, but said his team has to focus solely on the match. “Obviously the world has taken note of what’s happened and the emotion involved in it, but we can’t get involved in that now,” he said. “It’s work as usual for us and now we’ve got a job to do and we want to go and finish it.” While Denmark is hitting the road for the first time at a tournament that is being played in 11 cities across Europe, Wales have had a tougher travel schedule. The team based itself in Baku, Azerbaijan, where it played its first two matches before facing Italy in Rome and traveling to the Netherlands for the round of 16. “On paper it sounds like a great idea to have it all around Europe but logistically it is an absolute nightmare, and throw COVID into that mix as well,” Page said. Also read: Record-chasing Italy becoming the team to fear at Euro 2020 Wales’ victory over Turkey and a draw with Switzerland were enough for second place behind Italy in Group A. The Welsh lost 1-0 in their final match against the Italian, one of the tournament’s top teams. Now Wales is hoping it can build up the same kind of momentum that carried it to the semifinals of Euro 2016, where it lost to eventual champion Portugal 2-0. Gareth Bale, one of the stars of the 2016 campaign, is his country’s all-time leading scorer with 33 goals, but he has not scored in his last 14 internationals and missed a penalty against Turkey in Baku. Aaron Ramsey, another of the veterans from the tournament in France, is hoping to improve on the team’s performance five years ago. “We’re a threat. We keep games tight, so who knows,” Eamsey said. “Why not go all the way again?” Wales will be without midfielder Ethan Ampadu, who is suspended after being sent off early in the second half of the team’s final group match against Italy for a foul on Federico Bernardeschi. Hjulmand said it would be tough to prepare against an unpredictable Welsh team. “They’re very flexible. They change their strategy and their positions so it’s going to be hard to know what to expect from that team,” he said. Page said it’s uncertain how Denmark will set up for Saturday’s match. What he does know is that Wales has to match the Danes physically. “Irrespective of what 11 he puts on the pitch, they’re going to work, battle, fight for each other and we have to match that,” Page said. Also read: Finland beats Denmark at Euro 2020 after Eriksen's collapse Players on both sides should have a good idea what to expect from one another — Kasper Schmeichel and Danny Ward both play for Premier League club Leicester. “We have great competition and we have a really great relation to each other,” Schmeichel said of Ward. “I don’t see any any weakness in him. He’s a complete goalkeeper.” Also, Ben Davies and Joe Rodon are Tottenham teammates with Denmark midfielder Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg. Bale also played on loan for the London club last season. Hojbjerg called Bale “one of the best players I’ve ever played with.” “I know how much Wales mean to him, I know how much tomorrow’s game means to him,” Hojbjerg said. “I wish him the best, just not tomorrow.” The winner of Saturday’s match will head to Baku — where Wales is undefeated in two matches at this tournament — to face either the Netherlands or the Czech Republic in the quarterfinals on July 3.

The group stage of the ongoing Euro 2020 tournament came to an end on Wednesday. We had seen some thrilling matches in this round and had to wait until the final group stage matchups to find out who would advance to the next round. 16 teams have qualified for the first knockout round at the completion of the first phase of the tournament. All the expected teams have reached the next round.  The first knockout round of the competition will begin on Saturday. The qualified teams and fixtures of the UEFA Euro 2020 round of 16 have been covered in this article. Qualified Teams for the Round of 16 The top two teams from each of the six groups, as well as the top four third-place teams across all groups, have qualified for the round of 16 of UEFA Euro 2020. Let's see which teams from each group have advanced to the next round. Group A Italy topped group A with the most points (9), followed by Wales, Switzerland, and Turkey. Wales and Switzerland have also progressed to the next round of the championship. Read:Messi Reaches Another Milestone as Argentina Win Tough Match at Copa America 2021 Group B Hot favorite Belgium won all three matches in group B and finished first in the standings. Denmark, Finland, and Russia all earned three points, but Denmark took second place due to a better goal difference. The Danish national team have qualified for the Round of 16 in the European Championship. Group C The Netherlands finished first in the group stage with 9 points after winning all of their matches. North Macedonia failed to qualify for the knockout stage, while Austria and Ukraine both have advanced for the next round. Group D One of the favorites of the tournament England topped the Group D points table followed by Croatia, the Czech Republic, and Scotland. The Czech Republic and Croatia have advanced to the round of 16 of the European Championship. Read European Football Season 2020-21: Individual Award Winners Group E Sweden claimed the top spot of group E, while Spain had to settle for second place in the points standings. They've both progressed to the next round. Slovakia and Poland were unable to qualify for the knockout stage. Group F Hot favorite France finished top in the group of death with 5 points. Germany and Portugal have both qualified to the next round, but Hungary came in fourth in the points table and did not make it to the last 16. Read:Depay, Wijnaldum score, Netherlands beats NMacedonia 3-0 Fixtures of the Round of 16 Date Match Venue & Time (BST) Jun 26 (Saturday) Wales vs Denmark Amsterdam (10 PM) June 27 (Sunday) Italy vs Austria London (1 AM) June 27 (Sunday) Netherlands vs Czech Republic Budapest (10 PM) June 28 (Monday) Belgium vs Portugal Seville (1 AM) June 28 (Monday) Croatia vs Spain Copenhagen (10 PM) June 29 (Tuesday) France vs Switzerland Bucharest (1 AM) June 29 (Tuesday) England vs Germany London (10 PM) June 30 (Wednesday) Sweden vs Ukraine Glasgow (1 AM) Sources: https://www.uefa.com/ Read:Wembley may have 65,000 fans for Euro 2020 semifinals, final Bottom Line The best national teams in Europe have qualified for the round of 16 stage of the UEFA Euro 2020 competition. So, we can anticipate the deserving team to win the championship in the end.Defending champion Portugal will face hot favorite Belgium in the next round, making it extremely difficult for them to retain the title. Though, no match in the round of sixteen will be easy. The teams must perform at their best to advance to the quarterfinals. Read Copa America 2021: Brazil Win, Argentina Draw With Chile, Messi’s Stunning Goal